[MUSIC] >> Bonnie: THE BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION GETS RIGHT TO WORK FOLLOWING AN HISTORIC DAY THAT INCLUDED THE INAUGURATION OF THE FIRST FEMALE VICE PRESIDENT AND THE MOVING WORDS OF A YOUNG FEMALE AFRICAN-AMERICAN POET LAUREATE.
[MUSIC] >> Bonnie: HELLO.
I AM BONNIE ERBE.
WELCOME TO "TO THE CONTRARY", A WEEKLY DISCUSSION OF NEWS AND SOCIAL TRENDS FROM DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES.
UP FIRST, EXECUTIVE ORDERS ON IMMIGRATION, QUALITY, CLIMATE, STUDENT LOANS, HEALTH, MASKS, AND COVID, TO NAME A FEW, JUST SOME OF THE WORK THE NEW ADMINISTRATION HAS IN FRONT OF IT.
WILL BIDEN-HARRIS BE ABLE TO UNITE THE COUNTRY OVER THESE MULTIPLE CHALLENGES?
WITH US TODAY ARE FORMER REPRESENTATIVE FROM MARYLAND DONNA EDWARDS, A DEMOCRAT; PATRICE LEE OF THE INDEPENDENT WOMEN'S FORUM; OURNALIST ANUSHAY HOSSAIN, HOST OF THE PODCAST SPILLING CHAI; AND ALICIA KRAUS, HOST OF THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER NEWSMAKERS SERIES FORMER REPRESENTATIVE EDWARDS, LET'S START WITH YOU.
KAMALA HARRIS, HOW MUCH SWAY DOES SHE HAVE IN THIS ADMINISTRATION AND HOW MUCH OF THE AGENDA THAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT THE FIRST COUPLE DAYS IS BECAUSE SHE IS ON -- HE IS THE VICE PRESIDENT.
>> Former Rep. Donna Edwards: WELL, YOU KNOW, BONNIE, I THINK WE CAN ALREADY SEE THROUGH THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM THE TIME THAT SHE WAS CHOSEN, REALLY, THAT THIS IS REALLY A PARTNERSHIP.
OBVIOUSLY, JOE BIDEN IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, BUT IT REALLY IS A PARTNERSHIP, AND HE UNDERSTANDS THE VICE PRESIDENCY LIKE NO OTHER PRESIDENT, AND I THINK THAT IT MEANS THAT HE WILL FIGURE OUT WAYS IN WHICH HE CAN BOTH SEEK HER COUNSEL AND ENGAGE HER AS PART OF THE PUBLIC FACING OF THE ADMINISTRATION.
I THINK IN THESE EARLY DAYS, WE ARE ALREADY BEGINNING TO SEE THAT -- ARE PRESIDING OVER THIS SENATE, THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE WILL HAVE TO HAVE A NO NORMA'S IMPACT GIVEN THE SMALL DIVIDE, THE NARROW MARGIN IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE.
>> Bonnie: HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK THE CABINET APPOINTEES, THE MOST DIVERSE CABINET IN AMERICAN HISTORY IS WHAT IS TURNING OUT TO BE, OR BECAUSE SHE PUSHED HIM TO PICK PEOPLE OF COLOR?
>> Former Rep. Donna Edwards: YOU KNOW, BONNIE, I LIKE KNOW THAT, BUT WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT BY CHOOSING HER AND SELECTING THIS CABINET, IT IS REALLY CLEAR THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN VALUES DIVERSITY.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE RANGE OF PEOPLE, HE ALSO VALUES A DIVERSITY OF OPINION AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IN HIS CABINET SELECTIONS FROM DEB HAALAND AT INTERIOR TO PETE BUTTIGIEG A TRANSPORTATION.
>> Bonnie: AND THE FIRST OPENLY TRANSGENDER SUB CABINET MEMBER, YOU KNOW, DEPUTY ASSISTANT.
ALL RIGHT.
PATRICE LEE, HOW MANY OF TRUMP SUPPORTERS ARE GOING TO BE WON OVER BY A PRESIDENT WHO SAYS HE WANTS UNITY, SAYS HE WANTS EVERYBODY TO GET TOGETHER, BUT ON HIS FIRST DAYS IN OFFICE, PUSHES AN AGENDA THAT IS REALLY WHITE, HARD PROGRESSIVE LEFT?
>> Patrice Lee: BONNIE, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO SUPPORTED PRESIDENT TRUMP ARE LISTENING TO THE RHETORIC, LISTENING TO THE UNITY TALK THAT JOE -- THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN GAVE ON INAUGURAL DAY.
AND IN SAYING, OKAY, LET'S SEE WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD, WE TALKED ABOUT POLICY, BUT I THINK THERE ARE ALSO SIGNALS THAT HE COULD HAVE SENT DURING HIS SPEECH THROUGHOUT THE INAUGURATION AND AFTERWARDS THAT SAYS, ACTUALLY, I REALLY WANT TO SEE THE RHETORIC TONE DOWN AGAINST CONSERVATIVES.
FOR EXAMPLE, PULLING OFF THE LINCOLN PROJECT, SAYING, HEY, GUYS, WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE NOT SUPPORTIVE OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S, BUT DOCS ANOTHER CONSERVATIVES IS NOT RIGHT.
ALSO CALLING OUT THE JOURNALISTS, THE MEDIA PERSONALITIES, CELEBRITIES WHO THINK THAT CONSERVATIVES NEED TO BE DEPROGRAMMED.
HE DID SAY SOMETHING LIKE WE NEED TO END THE CIVIL WAR IN OUR COUNTRY.
THAT IS GREAT.BUT I THINK I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE SEEN A STEP FURTHER THAN THAT AND I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF TRUMP SUPPORTERS WHO FEEL LIKE, OKAY, WE DID NOT VOTE FOR YOU, PRESIDENT BIDEN, BUT WE WANT THIS NATION TO SUCCEED IN THAT PART OF THAT SUCCESS IS ENSURING THAT YOU SUCCEED IN WE WANT GOOD POLICIES, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FEEL WELCOME IN THIS COUNTRY.
AND HIS POLICIES AND RHETORIC DON'T NECESSARILY SAY THAT.
>> Bonnie: ANUSHAY, YOUR THOUGHTS?
>> Anushay Hossain: WOW!
WELL, WHILE I THINK THAT -- I THINK THAT'S JOE BIDEN'S RESPONSIBILITY WHAT PATRICE JUST SAID.
WE SAW AN ATTEMPT TO OVERTHROW THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO.
WE STILL SAW MEMBERS OF THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT, SUCH AS SENATOR TED CRUZ, SITTING THERE AT THE INAUGURATION!
WELL I THINK THE BYTEDANCE' WORDS ON UNITY AND GOING FORWARD ALL RIGHT, HOW DOES HE HAVE TIME IN HIS INAUGURATION A CALL OUT, YOU KNOW, THE LINCOLN PROJECT OR THE SPECIFIC TO ATTACKS ON CONSERVATIVES?
I THINK SEEING THE END OF MILITARIZING KIND OF WASHINGTON STREETS.
I MEAN, YESTERDAY, IT FELT LIKE A TANGIBLE, NEW DAY, NOT FOR DEMOCRATS, NOT THE REPUBLICANS, BUT REALLY, AMERICAN.
>> Bonnie: ELISHA, HOW DID YOU READ HIS SPEECH AND WHAT HE HAS DONE WITH EXECUTIVE ORDERS IN THE DAYS SINCE HE WAS -- BECAME THE PRESIDENT?
DO YOU FEEL IS A CONSERVATIVE THAT HE'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO UNITE THE COUNTRY?
>> Elisha Krauss: ,I MEAN, I DON'T RELY ON ANY PRESIDENT UNITE THE COUNTRY.
I WOULD ANTICIPATE PEOPLE ON EITHER SIDE OF THE AISLE TO WORSHIP THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND UNFORTUNATELY HAPPENS ON THE RIGHT AND THE LEFT, SO I DON'T EXPECT BIDEN TO UNIFY.
BUT IF HE'S GOING TO SAY THAT HE'S GOING TO, THEN MAYBE HE SHOULD ACTUALLY LOOK INTO THE POLICIES OF THOSE PEOPLE ON THE CENTER RIGHT, PEOPLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE COUNTRY THAT DID IN FACT, VOTE FOR HIM, AND MAYBE SOME OF THOSE THAT DID NOT VOTE FOR HIM AND EXPLORE WHY THEY DIDN'T DO SO.
>> Bonnie: WELL, WHAT ABOUT THE 74 MILLION WHO VOTED FOR TRUMP, JUST MORE THAN 2 1/2 MONTHS AGO?
WHAT YOU THINK THEY WERE THINKING AS THEY LISTENED TO THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN SIGNED HIS FIRST COUPLE DAYS IN OFFICE?
>> Elisha Krauss: I THINK THAT THEY ARE PROBABLY A PASS -- FAST FORWARDING -- OR REMINDING THE REMEMBERING DATE EIGHT YEARS OF THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION, WHICH HAD THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS IN OUR NATION'S HISTORY AND GOING, OH, GOSH, SURE.
HOPE WE DON'T HAVE ANOTHER FOUR YEARS OF THAT.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S ANTICS, WE'VE NOW LOST THOSE TWO SEATS IN GEORGIA THAT WE COULD HAVE REALLY USED IN THE SENATE TO PUSH BACK ON THE FAR LEFT POLICIES THAT OBVIOUSLY BIDEN AND HARRIS ARE GOING TO BE PUSHING FORWARD.
>> Bonnie: DONNA EDWARDS, DOES THIS PRESIDENT DO ENOUGH FOR WOMEN?
>> Former Rep. Donna Edwards: WE ARE IN THE VERY EARLY PHASE OF THIS ADMINISTRATION.
I THINK WE CAN FULLY EXPECT THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, A DEEP DIVE INTO A NUMBER OF THESE ISSUES.
I LOOK, FOR EXAMPLE, AT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION FINALLY MOVING FORWARD ON EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENTING THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT, WHICH HAS BEEN REALLY FORESTALLED IN THIS ADMINISTRATION ON MAKING SURE THAT WE REALLY PAY ATTENTION TO WOMEN'S HEALTH.
I MEAN, THERE ARE ARRAY OF POLICIES IMPLEMENTED BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION THE IMPACT WOMEN'S REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, AND I THINK THAT YOU CAN COUNT ON THE ADMINISTRATION TO LOOK AT THOSE THINGS AS A PACKAGE, NOT JUST THE GLOBAL GAG RULE, BUT ALSO LOOKING AT THE WAYS IN WHICH, FOR EXAMPLE, IMPLEMENTATIONS AROUND CONTRACEPTIVES BY THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, AND LET'S JUST GIVE IT A SHOT.
YOU KNOW, BONNIE, I HAVE TO SAY, HEARING THE PREVIOUS DISCUSSION, I AM REALLY TROUBLED BECAUSE THERE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN A MORE UNIFIED INAUGURATION ADDRESS FROM A PRESIDENT WHO IS FACING A WHOLE SLEW OF REPUBLICANS WHO OBJECTED TO HIS ELECTION AND AN INSURRECTION THAT TOOK PLACE AT THE CAPITOL.
AND I THINK A LOT OF PROGRESSIVES ARE SAYING, WELL, NO, LET'S NOT UNIFY YET WITHOUT ACCOUNTABILITY, BUT JOE BIDEN STRUCK A VERY, VERY DIFFERENT TONE.
AND YOU CAN SEE IT IN THIS ADMINISTRATION.
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE COMING DAYS RATHER THAN JUST JUDGING WHAT HAPPENS WITHIN THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE FIRST COUPLE OF DAYS.
>> Bonnie: DO YOU AGREE, ANUSHAY?
>> Anushay Hossain: I REALLY DO AGREE.
YOU KNOW WHAT?
IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND EVERYTHING THAT EVERYBODY ELSE HAS SAID, BUT ALSO, CAN WE NOT ACT LIKE THIS TRANSITION TO POWER WAS JUST A REGULAR TRANSITION OF POWER AND ACT LIKE -- THE U.S. CAPITOL, I MEAN, SOMEONE WHO HAS LIVED IN WASHINGTON FOR OVER TWO DECADES, I AM TRAUMATIZED, I AM TRAUMATIZED BY WHAT WE SAW IN THE LAST FEW DAYS.
AM TRAUMATIZED IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS WE HAVE HAD MORE U.S.
TROOPS IN THE STREETS OF WASHINGTON D.C. THAN WE DO IN AFGHANISTAN OR IRAQ.
THIS WAS NOT A REGULAR TRANSITION TO POWER.
WE SAW AN ATTEMPT TO OVERTHROW THE U.S. GOVERNMENT, WE SAW AN ATTEMPT BY THE PRESIDENT TO TELL HIS MOB TO LYNCH HIS VICE PRESIDENT.
THAT ALMOST HAPPENED.
SO FOR PEOPLE TO SAY, WHY HASN'T HE DONE THIS OR WHY HAS HE DONE THAT -- >> Bonnie: THE WORDS WERE VERY MOVING AND BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN.
A+ TOOGOOD SPEECHWRITERS.
BUT AS I LISTEN TO HIM TAKE OFF THE FIRST ACTIONS THAT HE TOOK, EXECUTIVE ORDERS, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM WAS NOT A COMPROMISE ANYWHERE, IT WAS ALL TO PAY OFF HIS -- THE FAR LEFT MEMBERS OF HIS DEMOCRATIC BASE, NOT EVEN THE MAINSTREAM MEMBERS, AND I KEPT THINKING, MY GOSH, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO UNIFY THE COUNTRY BY SLAPPING THE RIGHT IN THE FACE?
I SEE TWO CONFLICTING THINGS GOING ON HERE.
>> Former Rep. Donna Edwards: WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE WHERE THE PRESIDENT STARTED.
I MEAN, HANDED THE MUSLIM BAN WHICH SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED IN THE FIRST PLACE.
YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT HE IS DOING RIGHT NOW, HE REJOINED THE CLIMATE RECORDS.
THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN UNDONE WITH OUR INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS IN THE FIRST PLACE.
AND SO, I THINK THAT -- HE SAID TO RESTORE THE SOUL OF AMERICA REQUIRES SO MUCH MORE THAN WORDS IN THE ONLY ENOUGH OF US HAVE TO COME TOGETHER TO BRING ALL OF US.
AND SO, I THINK YOU CAN EXPECT HIM TO WORK WITH ENOUGH OF US TO BRING THE REST OF US ALONG.
>> Anushay Hossain: CONNECT QUICKLY JUST SAY SOMETHING?
I THINK THAT THE GLOBAL GAG RULE IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING A LOT MORE FAR LEFT THAN THE MUSLIM BAN.
>> Bonnie: I AGREE.
TO ME, IT'S MORE LIKELY TO UPSET THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, OF WHICH HE IS A DEVOUT MEMBER, MORE LIKELY TO UPSET THE PRO-LIFE WING OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, YES.
ELISHA, WHAT WERE YOU SAYING?
>> Elisha Krauss: HE HAS A HISTORY OF UPSETTING MANY MEMBERS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SAY THAT HE SHOULD NOT BE CATHOLIC.
I DON'T I'M NOT A CATHOLIC, I CAN IDENTIFY AS ONE.
SO I CAN'T SPEAK TO THEIR SPIRITUALITY OR THEOLOGICAL BELIEFS.
BUT HE IS THE GUY THAT'S PART OF THE ADMINISTRATION THAT SUED THE LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR.
IF YOU DECIDED TO PURCHASE OR DONATE A FLAG TO BE DISPLAYED ON OUR BEAUTIFUL NATIONAL MALL YESTERDAY, ONE OF THE 100 ORGANIZATIONS THAT HE CHOSE, HIS INAUGURAL COMMITTEE CHOSE TO DONATE THAT MONEY TO WAS INDEED PLANNED PARENTHOOD.
AND I MEAN, LISTEN, I WILL GO BACK TO WHAT HAPPENED AT THE CAPITOL, ANY REAL AMERICAN WAS HORRIFIED ABOUT, AND I WOULD IMPLORE EVERYONE ELSE ON THIS PANEL TO CONSIDER A RECENT MONOLOGUE BY LEFTIST BELMAR WHEN HE SAID THE 5000 JERKS, THINGS I CAN SAY ON AIR, THEY RAIDED THE CAPITOL AND RIOTED AND TRIED TO DESTROY OUR DEMOCRACY, THEY GOT FAILED IN THEIR AND ANARCHIST AT TIMES AND DO NOT REPRESENT THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS AT ALL AND THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS WHO VOTED FOR TRUMP AND PENCE AND I WOULD INFORM MY LEFTIST COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE TO CONSIDER THAT BEFORE THEY TALK ABOUT OF THE DAY OF ATONEMENT AND JUSTICE BEING SERVED, BECAUSE THE AVERAGE AMERICANS WOKE UP THIS MORNING AND NOTHING IS DIFFERENT.
THERE IS STILL A PANDEMIC, THEY ARE STILL NOT GETTING THE VACCINE, SCHOOLS ARE STILL NOT OPEN, THEIR JOBS ARE NOT THERE FOR THEM, AND I HOPE THAT BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION WILL FOCUS ON THAT INSTEAD OF THE FOUR LEFTIST AGENDAS.
>> Bonnie: PATRICE?
>> Patrice Lee: I LOVE EVERYTHING SHE JUST SAID AND I WILL TACK ON TO THAT.
WE LOOK AT THE ECONOMY.
I THINK SOMETIMES WE FOCUS ON WOMEN'S ISSUES IS JUST PERTAINING TO OUR BODIES.
CERTAINLY OUR HEALTHCARE IS IMPORTANT IN THINGS PERTAINING TO OUR BODIES ARE IMPORTANT.
BUT FOR A LOT OF WOMEN OUT THERE, HOW THEY WILL FEED THEIR FAMILIES ARE IMPORTANT, HOW ARE THEY GOING TO ENSURE THAT THE COFFEE SHOP REMAINS OPEN IS IMPORTANT, HOW WILL THEY ENSURE THAT THEY CAN SEND THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL SAFELY IS IMPORTANT SO THEY CAN GET BACK TO WORK?
THAT'S ALSO VERY IMPORTANT.
I DID NOT HEAR ENOUGH ABOUT THAT IN LOOKING AT THE FIRST 100 DAYS OF WHAT THE BIDENS ADMINISTRATION PLANS ON DOING -- >> Bonnie: PATRICE, LET'S MOVE THE DISCUSSION TO FINANCIAL ISSUES AND THE ECONOMY.
WE ALREADY SAW HE, PRESIDENT BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS, DOING ALL THAT THEY CAN TO GET 100 MILLION MORE DOSES OF THE VACCINE UP AND RUNNING INTO PEOPLE'S ARMS.
THEY ARE ALSO GOING TO PASS HUGE, YOU KNOW, BILLS FULL OF AID TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HARMED ECONOMICALLY BY THE COVID-19.
PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS A WALL.
HE DID NOT SET UP MASKS, DID NOT PREVENT THE SPREAD.
BIDEN WAS NUMBER TWO IN THE ADMINISTRATION THAT SAW THIS COUNTRY THROUGH ITS ECONOMIC COME BACK FROM THE MNA, THE BANK RECESSION LEFT BEHIND BY PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH.
IS BIDEN GOING TO BE MORE COMPETENT IN ECONOMICS AND REPUBLICANS ARE GIVING HIM CREDIT FOR?
PATRICE.
>> Patrice Lee: LET'S REMEMBER THAT BEFORE THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK, THE U.S. ECONOMY WAS IN ITS STRONGEST POSITION FOUR YEARS AFTER BIDEN AND HIS PREDECESSOR HAD LEFT OFFICE.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE HIGHEST MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOMES ON RECORD, LOWEST UNEMPLOYMENT, LOWEST POVERTY RATES, ESPECIALLY FOR SINGLE MOMS AND PEOPLE OF COLOR, COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
SO OUR ECONOMY WAS ACTUALLY A VERY ROBUST AND STRONG POSITION, WHICH IS WHY I BELIEVE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO WEATHER THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC AS HARSHLY AS WE HAVE SEEN.
THE LOCKDOWNS, THE MANDATES ON BUSINESSES, ON SCHOOLS HAS BEEN DETRIMENTAL TO SO MANY SMALL BUSINESSES IN THIS COUNTRY.
WE HAVE SEEN, WHAT, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF RESTAURANTS CLOSING OVER THE PAST YEAR BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO SUSTAIN THAT.
SO, YES -- >> Bonnie: OKAY.
I HEAR YOU TALKING ABOUT WHAT A GREAT ECONOMY TRUMP DID.
EALLY, THERE IS A HUGE DEBATE OVER THAT.
YES, HE CREATED A LOT OF JOBS.
THEY WERE GETTING JOBS.
THEY WERE UBER DRIVER JOBS WITH NO BENEFITS OR VACATION PAY OR ANYTHING OTHER THAN AN HOURLY RATE, SOMETIMES THAT YOU CANNOT ALWAYS GET A POSTING FOR.
SO, ANUSHAY, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ABOUT THE TRUMP ECONOMY VERSUS WHAT THE BIDEN ECONOMY?
>> Anushay Hossain: THE BIDEN ECONOMY, FIRST OF ALL, CAN WE JUST TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT THIS IS MADE ON WOMEN AND WOMEN OF COLOR THE AMERICAN ECONOMY?
WE KNOW THAT 140,000 JOBS THAT WERE LOST IN DECEMBER WERE ALL WOMEN.
THEY WERE ALL WOMEN.
MEN -- >> Bonnie: WOMEN OF COLOR, BLACK WOMEN, 154,000.
>> Anushay Hossain: SO I FEEL LIKE WE ARE STILL -- JOY-ANNE REID CALLS IT, WHAT, PLAN A OR PLANET B?
LIKE WE ARE JUST FUNCTIONING IN TWO DIFFERENT ORBITS, IT ALMOST SEEMS LIKE.
THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT AMERICA'S, AND WE'VE BEEN POKED AND OUR DIVISIONS ARE KIND OF EXPLOITED FOR SO LONG FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
I DON'T EVEN RECOGNIZE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT OUR FELLOW PANELISTS ARE SAYING.
I MEAN, I'M IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WORLD.
I FEEL LIKE THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT AMERICAS AND WE HAVE BEEN POKED IN OUR DIVISIONS OF KIND OF UNEXPLOITED FOR SO LONG FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS.
AMERICA HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO THE BRINK, TO THE BRINK.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF PEOPLE DYING FROM THIS PANDEMIC IN THE WORLD, AND WE ARE THE RICHEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.
>> Bonnie: PERCENTAGE, I BELIEVE IT IS.
BUT, ANYWAY, DONNA, YOUR THOUGHTS -- >> Former Rep. Donna Edwards: AND YEAH, LET ME JUST JUMP IN.
BECAUSE I THINK THAT JOE BIDEN, AS HE SAID IN THE CAMPAIGN AND THROUGHOUT THE TRANSITION IN ITS EARLY DAYS, THE FIRST EXECUTIVE ORDER HE SIGNED RELATED TO CORONAVIRUS, AND THE REASON IS BECAUSE HE BELIEVES, VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS BELIEVE THAT THE WAY THAT YOU GET TO A FUNCTIONING ECONOMY AND YOU RECOVER SMALL BUSINESSES IS THAT YOU GET A HANDLE OF THIS VIRUS.
YOU GET SHOTS IN THE ARMS OF AMERICANS.
THEN YOU BEGIN TO OPEN UP SCHOOLS AND OPEN SMALL BUSINESSES, AND THEN YOU GROW THE ECONOMY SO THAT IT ACTUALLY IS A SUSTAINED ECONOMY THAT WORKS FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR, THAT WORKS FOR LOW INCOME AMERICANS.
I THINK THAT'S WHY YOU CAN SEE THAT HE'S BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE LEADERSHIP IN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE TO BRING A TRUE COVID REALLY BILL THAT IS GOING TO MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
IN ROLLING OUT THIS COVID VACCINATION STRATEGY, THAT IS A NATIONAL STRATEGY AS OPPOSED TO HAVING A HODGEPODGE OF STATES TRYING TO FIGURE THIS ALL OUT FOR 300 MILLION AMERICANS.
DEALING WITH COVID, DEAL WITH THE ECONOMY.
LET ME SAY LASTLY, BONNIE, THAT DONALD TRUMP INHERITED A STRONGER ECONOMY FROM BARACK OBAMA AND JOE BIDEN, WHO INHERITED THE DITCH ECONOMY FROM -- IN A RECESSION, AND JOE BIDEN IS MORE EXPERIENCED THAN ANYONE IN TRYING -- AT THE EARLY DAYS TO BEING GIVEN TO BRING AN ECONOMY BACK.
>> Bonnie: LET'S MOVE ON TO INAUGURATION DAYS.
KNOW WE TOUCHED ON THAT EARLIER.
STARTING WITH YOU, ANUSHAY, HOW EFFECTIVE WAS HIS USE OF CELEBRITIES?
WHAT DID YOU THINK, OR WAS THE REAL STAR OF INAUGURATION DAY THE YOUNG MS. GORMAN, THE POET LAUREATE OF THE UNITED STATES, AT 22, THE YOUNGEST EVER?
>> Elisha Krauss: I THOUGHT SHE WAS AMAZING.
THINK HONESTLY THE STAR OF INAUGURATION WERE WOMEN OF COLOR.
IT WAS REALLY, REALLY GREAT TO SEE SUCH A DIVERSE AMOUNT OF WOMEN OF COLOR FROM, YES, FROM J-LO, BUT EVEN JUST LOOKING -- [INAUDIBLE] -- CELEBRITIES THAT WE SEE IN THE MAGAZINES, BUT WE HAD THE YOUNGEST EVER POET LAUREATE, OF COURSE LADY GAGA AND J-LO, BUT KAMALA HARRIS, I JUST LOVE THAT BIDEN WAS THERE SURROUNDED AND SUPPORTED BY SOMEBODY WOMEN OF COLOR INCLUDING HOLD HIS STAFF.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT KARINE JEAN-PIERRE, SIMONE SANDERS, I MEAN, WE REALLY HAD FOUR YEARS OF A WHITE SUPREMACIST GOVERNMENT AND A PRESIDENT WHO BELIEVES IN THE.
SO IT WAS REALLY NICE TO SEE NOT ALL WHITE MEN.
>> Bonnie: DONNA?> Former Rep. Donna Edwards: YEAH.
YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE I THINK THAT SO MUCH OF WHAT WE SAW AT INAUGURATION WAS ABOUT THE PRESENTATION OF SYMBOLS, AND THEY WERE SYMBOLS OF WHO WE ARE AS AMERICA.
AND MEAN, YOU KNOW, SINGING THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND, GARTH BROOKS FROM COUNTRY-WESTERN TO, YOU KNOW, LADY GAGA, I THOUGHT IT WAS AN INTERESTING WAY TO SYMBOLICALLY REPRESENT THE CROSS-SECTION OF AMERICANS WHEN PRESIDENT BIDEN IN HIS SPEECH SAID THAT HE WANTS TO BE THE PRESIDENT FOR ALL AMERICANS, AND I THINK THAT IT WAS HEARTFELT.
I SHARE WITH ANUSHAY THE SYMBOLS OF, YOU KNOW, HAVING THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN OF SOUTH ASIAN DESCENT SWORN IN AS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES BY THE FIRST LATINA TO SERVE ON THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT IN JUSTICE SOTOMAYOR, AND HAVING CHILLS JUST TALKING ABOUT IT BECAUSE I THINK THAT WHEN WOMEN AND WHEN LITTLE GIRLS LOOK AT THAT, THEY SEE THEMSELVES DIFFERENTLY.
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE OF THE LAST THINGS THAT JOE BIDEN SAID WAS THAT WE HAVE TO DEFEAT THE LIES BY DEFENDING THE TRUTH.
AND I THINK THAT THAT IS GOING TO BE A HALLMARK TO THIS ADMINISTRATION AFTER FOUR YEARS OF RAMPANT LYING AND CONFUSED MESSAGES SO THAT AMERICANS DO NOT KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TRUTH AND A LIE.
>> Patrice Lee: YOU KNOW, BONNIE, I WOULD HOPE THAT FOX AND CNN AND MSNBC AND NEWSMAX AND ONE AMERICAN NEWS AND EVERY OTHER AND CHATTER TV, ALL THESE DIFFERENT OUTLETS IS CAREFUL ABOUT THE NEWS THAT THEY PROMOTE.
COVERING, PLAYING UP CERTAIN NARRATIVES AND STORYLINES, DUMPLING OTHERS.
IF WERE TALKING ABOUT THE PRESIDENT'S ACHIEVEMENTS AND LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT PRESIDENT BIDEN ACCOMPLISHES, YOU KNOW, COVERING ALL ASPECTS -- >> Bonnie: BUT I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT, PATRICE.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE PROMOTION, THE USE OF AS FACT OBVIOUS LIES.
SO I'M ASKING, IS TRUTH IN JOURNALISM OF ALL KINDS, LEFT AND RIGHT, IS AT LEAST GOING TO COME BACK IN JOURNALISM AS OPPOSED TO OPINION JOURNALISTS?
>> Patrice Lee: WELL, I APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION, BECAUSE I THINK IT RECOGNIZES THAT, YES, WE NEED TRUTH FROM ALL SIDES.
I THINK WHEN WE TALK TWO AMERICANS AND LOOK AT THE POLLING, THE REASON THEY DISTRUST THE MEDIA OF EVERY TYPE IS BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE CERTAIN STORIES ARE NOT SHARED OR THAT THERE ISN'T A REAL FACT THAT THEY CAN TRUST.
BUT TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE INAUGURATION, I WAS THERE FOUR YEARS AGO.
I GOT TO SIT AND WATCH PRESIDENT TRUMP BE INAUGURATED.
THIS WEEK, I WAS WATCHING FROM HOME AND I WILL SAY I WAS PROUD, PROUD OF THE FACT THAT WE DID HAVE A PEACEFUL TRANSFER OF POWER.
I WAS PROUD TO SEE CONSERVATIVES AND PAST PRESIDENTS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE THERE.
I WAS DISAPPOINTED THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS NOT THERE.
I THINK THAT WAS A HUGE MISSED OPPORTUNITY ON HIS PART, AND I WOULD'VE LOVED TO HAVE SEEN THEM THERE.
BUT IT TELLS US SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE ABSOLUTELY CAN MOVE TOGETHER, FORWARD TOGETHER AS AMERICANS.
I JUST IMPLORE ALL THE LISTENERS, THE PANELISTS AS WELL THAT WE HAVE GOT TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT LABELING EACH OTHER, LABELING EVERYONE AS WHITE SUPREMACISTS, LABELING ANYONE WHO THINKS DIFFERENTLY FROM US IN A WAY THAT'S NEGATIVE, BECAUSE THAT DOESN'T BRING US ALL TOGETHER.
IT IS DEMEANING AND BELITTLING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT PARTICULARLY RACIST BUT LIKED TAX CUTS.
>> Bonnie: LET ME CLOSE BY SAYING AS A REPORTER WHO COVERED EVERY INAUGURAL AND WENT TO THE BALLS AND COVERED THE ACTUAL TRANSFER OF POWER BETWEEN JIMMY CARTER AND GEORGE BUSH -- GEORGE W. BUSH'S FIRST TERM IN OFFICE, THERE IS ONE THING THAT STANDS OUT IN MY HEAD, AND I REALLY MISSED THAT HAPPENING THIS YEAR, WHICH WAS WHEN RONALD REAGAN HANDED OFF POWER TO GEORGE H.W.
BUSH, I HAPPENED TO BE IN THE FLOOR IN THE CAPITOL BELOW THE ROTUNDA.
AND THERE WERE NO OTHER JOURNALISTS THERE AND FEW OTHER PEOPLE THERE.
OF COURSE, THE SWEARING IN CEREMONY WAS ON THE WEST FRONT AND A HELICOPTER WAITING TO TAKE RONALD AND NANCY REAGAN BACK TO CALIFORNIA WAS -- OR DROP THEM AT ANDREWS AND THEN ON TO CALIFORNIA WAS ON THE EAST FRONT.
AND THERE WAS SUCH WARM EMBRACES BETWEEN THESE TWO PRESIDENTS.
AND IT WAS NOT JUST A PEACEFUL TRANSFER OF POWER, BUT A LOVING ONE.
AND IT WAS SO SAD THAT OUR OUTGOING PRESIDENT WAS SO SMALL.
HE COULD NOT PARTICIPATE IN THAT.
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